MALLORYTOWN,ON, May 25, 2013 /CNW/ - Today, on behalf of the Honourable Peter Kent, Canada's Environment Minister and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, Mr. Gord Brown, Member of Parliament for Leeds-Grenville, publicly celebrated the re-naming of St. Lawrence Islands National Park to Thousand Islands National Park, and introduced the park's new visitor accommodation offer.

"The name Thousand Islands National Park resonates in our community and is more closely linked to the park's majestic setting," said Member of Parliament Brown. "Furthermore it will help support and promote the dynamic natural and cultural tourism industry of our world-renowned region. This year's addition of Parks Canada oTENTik tents on site will also promote a relaxing way to experience camping, making it easier for visitors to discover, form connections, and live a Thousand Islands experience."

Thousand Islands National Park is making it easier for visitors to enjoy a Thousand Islands experience by offering oTENTik accommodations at multiple locations within the park. A hybrid between a tent and a rustic cabin, Parks Canada oTENTiks are a unique way to experience camping. Each Parks Canada oTENTik tent is designed and made in Canada and provides a great way to introduce camping to families, as well as to help those who remember the camping experiences of their youth, but no longer own the equipment.

"The recently released Federal Tourism Strategy notes that Canada needs to continue to increase awareness of Canada as a premier tourism destination with natural and historic places to discover," said Minister Kent. "This is the first year that Parks Canada is able to take advantage of an internationally recognized brand to give Thousand Islands National Park a sense of place that speaks to a specific region of Canada."

Parks Canada works to ensure Canada's historic and natural heritage is protected and, through a network of 44 national parks, 167 national historic sites, and four national marine conservation areas, invites Canadians and people from around the world to engage in personal moments of inspiring discovery at our country's treasured natural and historic places.

For additional information, please see the accompanying backgrounder at http://www.parkscanada.gc.ca under Media Room.

BACKGROUNDER

Thousand Islands National Park

Established in 1904, Thousand Islands National Park was Canada's first national park east of the Rockies. The park began with a small piece of waterfront property, and over the years, the park has grown to include over 20 island properties spread out in the St. Lawrence River between Kingston and Brockville, as well as several mainland lots.

The Thousand Islands are considered "stepping stones" along a migration corridor linking Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario and Adirondack State Park in New York State. As a result, the park resides in a transition zone between boreal and deciduous forests that create a series of microhabitats which help to support one of the highest biodiversities in Canada including a high number of species at risk. The Thousand Islands also present a rich cultural landscape of human activity encompassing many generations of connection to this place, including prehistoric and contemporary Aboriginal use, military and trade routes, early island settlement and farming, and more recently, recreational development.

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Thousand Islands National Park - A dynamic new name and exciting new possibilities